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The Cistercians through medieval eyes: the Benedictines on the Cistercians (2/7) … such a great multitude
of men has flocked there that sixty-five abbeys have been founded
from it (Cîteaux) all of which with their abbots are subject
to the chief abbot of Cîteaux. All dispense with breeches
and lambskins, abstain from eating fat and flesh-meat and by the
great good they do shine out in the world like lanterns burning
in a dark place. They maintain silence at all times and wear no
dyed garments. They toil with their own hands and produce their
own food and clothing.
In his days (Henry I’s reign)
began the Cistercian Order, which is now both thought and said to
be the high road of supreme progress toward Heaven. … Cîteaux
… now so famous for continuing monastic vacations that it might
well be supposed to have some link with Heaven itself … But
to sum up all that has been said or can be said about the Cistercians,
they are today an example for all monks, a mirror for the zealous,
and a gadfly for the easy-going. O new race of Pharisees brought
back to the world, dividing themselves from others, preferring themselves
to all the rest They especially favour white
in their habit and thereby seem remarkable and conspicuous to others.
Black represents humility in many places in Holy Scripture; therefore
up to now monks in their devotion have chosen to wear that colour.
Now, however, as if to make a show of righteousness, the men of
our time reject black which the earlier fathers always adopted as
a mark of humility. |
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